Google’s New ‘Landscraper’ to be a Workspace and Wellness Hub

Google’s final plans for a new HQ which will be as long as a skyscraper is tall, were submitted to Camden council this week.

Bjarke Ingels Group & Heatherwick Studios – the designers behind the 2012 Olympic Cauldron – have collaborated on the project.

A 200m running track, or “trim trail” will span a section of the roof terrace.

The structure will be 330 meters long – longer than The Shard is tall.

Situated adjacent to King’s Cross station, Google’s new headquarters will stand 11 storeys tall and will be comprised of 80, 819 sq ft of workspace (mainly open plan), multiple gyms and massage rooms, a swimming pool and an indoor multi-spots pitch.

The rooftop space is to be moulded into a venerable hub of wellness, complete with a running track, gardens and green spaces planted with fruits and herbs.

(Image: Google)

The entrance will face King’s Cross station.

A comprehensive plan was submitted to Camden council this week. The building will be fully owned by and designed for Google and according to Architects Journal, will cost in the region of £1 billion.

Sustainability is an intrinsic part of the design plan: 686 bike spaces will be installed compared with just 4 car parking spots, and solar panels will have a yearly output of 20MPh.

(Image: Google)

Workspace will be open plan, allowing for collaboration between teams.

In a statement, Heatherwick described the area as, “a fascinating collision of diverse building types and spaces…Influenced by these surroundings, we have treated this new building for Google like a piece of infrastructure too, made from a family of interchangeable elements which ensure that the building and its workspace will stay flexible for years to come.”

Joe Borrett of Google said: “We are excited to be able to bring our London Googlers together in one campus, with a new purpose-built building that we’ve developed from the ground up.”

(Image: Google)

A cross-section reveals a grand staircase running from the ground floor to the rooftop.